Web roll tensioning device



1936. J. A. ISBELL ET AL WEB ROLL: TENSIONING' DEVICE Filed March 25, 1233 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y J. A. ISBELL ET AL WEB ROLL TENSIONING DEVICE Filed March 25, less 2 sheets sheet 2 llll. lllll IIIIJ Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNlTEQ STATES 2&27,

PATENT OFFICE WEB ROLL TENSIONING DEVICE Application March 25, 1933, Serial No. 662,648

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for tensioning web rolls adapted to feed a web to! a web using machine, such as a printing press.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means for maintaining proper tension of the Web as it is drawn from the running roll; to provide means for moving the ends of the web tensioning devices, such as straps, so that they will wrap around the roll when the roll is nearly exhausted, and to provide means for moving the ends of the tensioning straps automatically by the rotation of the reel which supports the web roll, in such a manner that the proper tension can be applied in this way to the small roll 5. without interfering with the rotation of the reel filled with rolls of full diameter.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying 20 drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end view of a tension device constructed in accordance with this invention and applied to an ordinary type of rotatable reel, and

25 Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same.

In operating web-delivering means for printing presses and other machines using webs, in which the running web roll is gradually decreased in size and the web from it spliced to the new roll,

30 it has been quite difiicult to obtain a suflicient amount of wrap of the web tensioning members on the small roll, which is being exhausted, without interfering with the rotation of the reel carrying a full sized roll or with a dolly used to 35 support the new roll when reloading the reel. This invention is designed to make it possible to increase the wrap of the tension devices around the roll that is being used and in fact to make that automatic so that the tension on 40 that roll can be maintained in spite of the fact that normally the surface of the roll engaging the tension members is necessarily reduced as the roll grows smaller.

Brackets l are secured to the opposite sides of 45 the pressframe 2 providing a pair of suitable bearings for the shaft 3 of the reel 4 consisting of a pair of spiders. This reel is adapted to be rotated in any of the usual ways. The invention is not limited to the supporting or" the rolls on a 50 reel, as it is applicable to other types of roll supporting devices. The reel is shown as supporting a running roll R and a spare roll S with the web W passing over guide rolls 5 and l and a spring roller 8 to the printing press, not

55 shown.

Tension is provided by a series of tension members or straps 9, one end of each of these straps being connected through a cross rod with levers it and the other ends individually connected with hooks H to a shaft i2. The lever 5 ii! is pivotally mounted on a bracket I3 which is secured to the press frame. On its outer end it carries a depending weight rod [4 with replaceable weights i5 which serve to produce tension on the straps. 10

These features so far described are the same as previously used, or similar thereto. However, the shaft E2 is not stationary as has been the case usually but it is mounted in the ends of a pair of arms I 5, which arms are mounted respectively on a short shaft H on one side of the machine and a stud H5 at the other. These supports for these arms [6 are mounted respectively in brackets I9 and 2!].

On the shaft 3 is secured a gear 2| which meshes with, and drives, intermediate gears 22 and 23. The gear 23 meshes with the gear 24.

The intermediates are mounted on studs 25 and 26 carried on the bracket I. The gear 24 is mounted on the shaft I! and secured to it. As 25 shown, the gears 22, 23, and 24 are all the same size but at any rate they are of such diameters with respect to the gear 2| as to secure the desired rotation, as will appear. Stationary gears 21 and 28 are secured respectively to the brackets l9 and 2|] and mesh with two intermediate gears 29 rotatably carried on studs on the arms it. These intermediate gears 29 mesh with gears 30 secured to the shaft l2.

The rotation of the reel carrying the gear 2| in a clockwise direction rotates the arms IS in a counter-clockwise direction and in unison therewith. This rotation, therefore, rotates the arms [6 in a counter-clockwise direction. In normal operation, as one roll is used up, the upper roll S is spliced and later becomes the running roll by the rotation of the reel in a clockwise direction. The relationship of the parts is such that, as a spindle of the spider passes through the line connecting the center lines of the shaft I! and the reel shaft 3 and carries its normally exhausted roll through that point, the shaft l2 will have then come to an outer position extending downwardly in the drawings from the shaft ll, thus allowing a relatively large stub to pass over the shaft i2.

As shown in Fig. 1, the running roll R, which has been considerably used up, is pressed by the straps with a considerable wrap on account of the fact that, when it is in the position shown,

the shaft l2 will be at its farthest left-hand position. Thus proper tension is maintained on the web W without the use of excessive weights l5. As the large roll S is brought into the straps the tension can be controlled by the rotation of the reel since the lower ends of the straps are moved automatically thereby and in proportion to the rotation of the reel.

In Fig. 1 the relative progress of the reel to bring the freshly pasted roll S into running position and the progress of the hooks on the bottoms of the straps is shown by dividing an arc of each circle up into parts and giving them the letters a, b, c, d, etc. Of course, one letter a indicates the position of the reel on the upper arc and the other letter a indicates the position of the hooks at the bottoms of the straps on the lower arc.

It will be obvious that this provides a much wider range of tension than that obtained from a rotatable reel using straps which are fixed at their lower extremities and only slightly movable at their upper ones. It has been quite difiicult to obtain the proper amount of wrap of the straps on the small expiring roll' without interference with the rotation of the reel carrying a full-sized roll or the dolly used in the reloading of the reel. This is overcome by the present invention.

Although we have illustrated and described only one form of the invention we are aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore we do not wish to be limited in this respect otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim 1. The combination with a rotatable reel for supporting a running roll and a fresh roll for a web delivering machine, of straps supported at their upper ends above the fresh roll, movable means for supporting the lower ends of said straps below the running roll, and means for connecting said movable means with the reel to move therewith but in a direction to increase the wrap around the running roll as that roll is moved toward discharging position.

2. The combination with a rotatable reel carrying a fresh roll and running roll for a web delivering machine, of tension straps, a lever connected with the upper ends of said straps and having a weight for applying tension thereto, a rotatable arm supporting the lower ends of said straps, and means connected with the reel for rotating said arm in a direction to wrap the straps further around the running roll as the running roll approaches the position for its discharge from the reel.

3. The combination with a rotatable reel for supporting a running roll and fresh roll for a web feeding machine, of tension straps for engaging said rolls, means at one end of said straps for applying tension thereto, means at the other end of the straps for moving said other end to control the wrap of the straps around the running roll, and means on the reel for operating the strap moving means.

4. The combination with a rotatable reel for supporting a running roll and a fresh roll for a Web feeding machine, of tension straps for engaging said rolls, a train of gearing from the reel, a gear to which the train of gearing is connected, a shaft on which said gear is mounted, arms connected with said shaft, a rod supported by said arms, gears carried by said arms and rod, the last named gears being mounted on said arms and rod to turn about said shaft, said gearing being so arranged that as the exhausted roll passes through the line between the center of the reel and said gear, the arms will point in a direction away from the reel to permit the passage of comparatively large stubs.

JOHN A. ISBELL. CHARLES L. RICARDS. 

